Senior SDF member behind Raqqa deal with Daesh found dead
A MEMBER of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), who had a prominent role in a deal that saw some Daesh terrorists given safe passage out of their Syrian bastion Raqqa last year, was found dead yesterday morning, the PKK terror organisation’s Syrian affiliate, Democratic Union Group (PYD) announced yesterday.
Omar Alloush helped negotiate an agreement with Daesh that allowed some of the terrorists to leave Raqqa before it was overrun by the U.S.-backed SDF on Oct. 17.
He was a senior member of the Raqqa Civil Council (RCC), a provisional administration for the city set up by the SDF, which is predominantly run by the People’s Protection Units (YPG), the armed wing of the PYD.
The PYD did not give details of the circumstances of Alloush’s death. “Omar Alloush was found dead at his home this morning,” the PYD said on Twitter.
The SDF captured Raqqa after a monthslong campaign in October 2017 that saw them thrust south from their northern stronghold along the Turkish border with support from U.S.-led air strikes and ground advisers.
Alloush served both as a publicist for the SDF and as a liaison officer with the U.S.-led coalition.
Former SDF high-ranking commander and spokesperson Talal Sillo, who held a similar position to those of Alloush before he went on to become a member of the RCC, defected from the terrorist group in November and arrived in Turkey, saying he fears to be executed by the group.
The secret deal between the SDF and Daesh, which reportedly allowed thousands of Daesh fighters and their families to leave their enclave in Raqqa for undisclosed locations under SDF control, angered almost every party that is involved in the seven year-long Syrian Civil War, including U.S. allies in the anti-Daesh coalition. Dubbed as their capital, Raqqa was the scene of some of Daesh’s worst atrocities, including gruesome executions, public displays of corpses and sex slavery. Several reports after the deal had claimed that the released Daesh members were let go on condition to carry out attacks against Turkey.